Ultimately part of the problem is innacurate and sensationalist reporting entering the media which is 'sexed up' for a good story (e.g. T45s or Attack submarines), coupled with a lack of understanding about what the trial actually is.
Fundamentally one of the great self-perpetuated myths of the military is that every man is poised in a warry unit, ready to deploy at a moments notice to inflict harm in foreign lands. The reality is that a lot of the military work is routine, often quite mundane, and can easily be done in a variety of working patterns. Very few parts of HM Forces either work 24/7 or are on call 24/7, and the vast majority of sites are often working a core 0800-1600 day for training, with plenty of padded out 3 day courses spread over 2 weeks, or long NAAFI breaks and extended lunches.
The working culture though that has also emerged over the years in some quarters (particularly FLC HQs) is an unhealthy one whereby people 'feel' they need to be at their desks, often in earlier and out later than the boss. People don't take all their leave, and people don't feel that their work life balance is particularly in kilter. People don't mind working hard for preparing for a deployment, but get fed up of being thrashed senseless doing long hours in an office job, as if a mark of productivity and output is to be sending emails at 9pm in the evening.
If we move to a system whereby people can ask to amend their working patterns for a short period of time, to get quality time with their family or help with childcare and just to spend time with loved ones is entirely sensible. If we give people a bit of time back, and give them the chance to spend time with family during a less operational tour, the chances are that they won't resign because they can't spend time with their family.
Just because people arent working a 5 day week in an office doesnt mean they are any less productive. If someone wants to take some unpaid leave to ensure that for 6 months they can look after a child, or care for a relative, is that really such a bad thing? Industry and Civil Service has adapted to the 21st century and often is very flexible on shorter weeks with compressed hours, or taking a short career break. What matters is the output, not the process by which the input is delivered.
The working world has changed, but we have persisted in a 19th century social hierachy and mid 20th century (at best) practises in a digital age. We are losing good talent hand over fist because people have had enough - often they don't want to leave, but their family has to come first. By giving people the means to spend time with them, to have a bit of work-life balance, we increase the chances of them staying longer - given the choice between having FS Bloggs out every Friday for a year on unpaid leave, or waiting another 15-20 years to recruit and train a replacement FS Bloggs, I know what I'd want.
Instead, the moment this broke, a bunch of retired dinosaurs started whinging to the papers about how awful it is that the military are trying to come up with working practises which motivate people to stay. This sort of obsolete attitude is a bloody good reason why people are leaving, and going to places which place a premium on offering ways to keep their people, not saying "Here is the only way of doing business and you should be grateful for it."
This is one of the most enlightened things the MOD has done for years to look out for its people, and as usual all some people can do is moan.